Rangers fans' group pile pressure on Ibrox trio to pull out of Scotland squad in protest over SFA sanctions

A RANGERS fans’ group last night appealed to Allan McGregor, Lee Wallace and Steven Whittaker to withdraw from the Scotland squad.

A RANGERS fans’ group last night appealed to Allan McGregor, Lee Wallace and Steven Whittaker to withdraw from the Scotland squad.

They want the trio to pull out in the wake of the SFA’s decision to reject the club’s appeal against a 12-month transfer embargo and a £160,000 fine for bringing the game into disrepute.

Rangers Supporters Assembly vice- president Ross Blyth believes the Ibrox trio have been put in an impossible position ahead of Scotland’s trip to the USA next week.

Fans’ chiefs insist Rangers have to make a stance against the SFA – and a boycott of away grounds next season now seems inevitable although the Assembly is adamant it won’t make knee-jerk decisions.

Blyth said: “We would ask the three players to consider their position in the Scotland squad next week in light of the decision that affects Rangers so badly. I appreciate it will put the players in a difficult position but we have to ask them to think about withdrawing.

“We will be looking for our club to withdraw co-operation with the SFA at all levels, from grassroots to the very top and the Scotland national team comes into that.

“Sandy Jardine suggested he would hand back his Hall of Fame award and it has been suggested others should do the same.”

Andy Kerr, president of the Rangers Supporters Assembly: “We said we wouldn’t have any knee-jerk reactions and be hopeful the appeals process would help.

“Now we know it hasn’t been a help we will revisit that discussion as a matter or urgency and consider what might be the best actions to take in the interests of the club.

“There will definitely be a call not to support away matches because that is directly impacting on the other clubs and they’re member clubs of the SFA.

“There’s already been some activity in terms of protesting and making representations to their sponsors.

“Potentially, there will be a call not to enter the Scottish Cup as that’s the only competition we compete in that’s directly under the auspices of the SFA. The other one is non-cooperation with national squads.”

Reflecting on the appeal outcome, Kerr said: “My initial reaction was that I was extremely disappointed. There was an element anger which I’m sure will be felt across the supporter base.

“We were hopeful because when we looked at the reasons for the decision, the rationale and the circumstances in which it occurred, we had a clear view Craig Whyte was the villain here.

“The way they have reasoned the case is effectively the actions of the owner apply equally to the actions of the club. That’s totally unreasonable. The 12-month transfer ban appeared out of nowhere, with no precedent or comparison with other cases to
determine if it is appropriate.”

Rangers administrators Duff and Phelps suggested last night they could challenge the sanctions again.

Kerr said: “We’d welcome and support that. There is a feeling that the whole spirit of dealing with this within the SFA and through the appeals process has been ‘let’s hammer Rangers’.”

But Kerr believes the transfer embargo – that will prevent Rangers from signing players over the age of 17 – will have wider implications for the rest of Scottish football.

He said: “A very healthy part of Scottish football over the years is that Rangers have bought players from Scottish clubs.

“They’ve effectively propped them up with pretty sizeable transfer fees.”